Club Meeting – May 27, 2016

Irving Berlin wrote the song in 1918 while serving the U.S. Army at Camp Upton in Yaphank, New York, but decided that it did not fit in a revue called Yip Yip Yaphank, so he set it aside.[3] The lyrics at that time included the line “Make her victorious on land and foam, God bless America…”[2] as well as “Stand beside her and guide her to the right with the light from above”.[4]

In 1938, with the rise of Adolf Hitler, Berlin, who was Jewish and had arrived in America from Russia at the age of five, felt it was time to revive it as a “peace song,” and it was introduced on an Armistice Day broadcast in 1938, sung by Kate Smith on her radio show.[7] Berlin had made some minor changes; by this time, “to the right” might have been considered a call to the political right, so he substituted “through the night” instead. He also provided an introduction that is now rarely heard but which Smith always used: “While the storm clouds gather far across the sea / Let us swear allegiance to a land that’s free / Let us all be grateful for a land so fair, / As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer.” (In her first broadcast of the song, Kate Smith sang “that we’re far from there” rather than “for a land so fair”.)[4] This was changed when Berlin published the sheet music in March 1939.(Wikkipedia)

Announcements:
1. Letter from Steve Kiethly, County Office of Education Teachers Network thanking us and Brian Sarvis for making the Teacher Recognition Program such a success. “Our longstanding history of working together to identify, recognize and commend the best that Santa Barbra schools have to offer is an important endeavor. The Rotary Club’s values and actions reflect priorities that make our community a wonderful place to live in. By recognizing four teachers every year, you are making a clear statement that education is important to you organization”, wrote Mr. Kiethly.
2. Pam Galvin announced that we will be Dark at the Doubletree on June 24th and instead have the Step-Down Party at the Frog Bar & Grill at glen Annie Golf Course on Thursday evening June 23rd. More info to come.
3. Polio Bike Ride-Saturday June 18th stare about 9AM at Goleta beach. For more information or to sign up please email or call Michael Self 682-0411 michaelself2011@yahoo.com
4. SEOUL-A picture from Jim Stretchberry, 10 million people in Central Seoul.
5. An important event will take place on June 11, 2016 at the historic Santa Maria Inn, in Santa Maria, CA. It is a luncheon in honor of all National Immunization Day (NID) Alumni. Cost is $35 per person. Family members and interested parties are also welcome; however, there is a limited capacity for only 100 people, so register soon!
Please register ASAP by emailing me at: jameslewis1118@gmail.com – deadline is June 6, 2016.
6. Happy Hour will be at the Crocodile 2819 State Street, SB 805/687-6444Reservation: Rotary Club of SB (NOTE: On Patio)FINES:
1. Paul Didier – a whole card for all his retirement events and whatever he want to tell us about.

Housing in Santa Barbara: Kathleen showed a short amusing video of the housing availability in Santa Barbara. The video was produced by some friends who enjoy comedy.

SPEAKER: Douglas McCauley, Assistant Professor at UCSB’s Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology. Introduction by Frank Williams. Professor McCauley told us of his research about the Risks of Extinction of Species in the Ocean. He compared the 6 mass extinctions of land animals over the millenniums to the extinction of animals in the oceans. Surprisingly there has been very little extinction in the ocean. Land animals lost in the last 500 years is 500 species, in the ocean only 15 species. Dr. McCauley discussed ways we have changed over the years from hunters with primitive instruments to hunters and cultivators with more modern instruments. In the ocean changes in hunting methods and other marine influences have happened much later most after WWI. He offered several things we call all do to help our oceans and the animals that live in them by securing a healthy ocean by creating more and bigger marine parks for protection. Things we can do daily are to use the Seafood Watch report from the Monterey Bay Aquarium that give us guidance of healthy fish to eat and fish to avoid, use less single use plastic, clean up beaches (there are trillions of pieces of plastic in the oceans), lesion our carbon footprint by using clean transportation and get the next generation of people engaged in the oceans and the oceans future, such as, take the kids to the beach and aquariums for hands on experiences.

Thank you to Dr. McCauley for his practical and insightful information about or oceans and how we can do our part to keep the oceans healthy. The Friday Social Hour for May 27 is at the Crocodile at 5:30.